


Across the Universe

by flipflop_diva



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Crossover, F/F, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Pre-Supergirl (TV), Saving the World, Teamwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 13:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12255105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflop_diva/pseuds/flipflop_diva
Summary: When Natasha is given her latest assignment, it's not anything like she thought it would be. It's also not anywhere she thought it would be.





	Across the Universe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [VampirePaladin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampirePaladin/gifts).



> Written for the Crossovering 2017 fest! 
> 
> Based on these prompts from VampirePaladin: _I could see J’onn and Nick Fury having a level of respect for each other. Maybe the DEO and SHIELD already work together either on the same Earth or through multi-dimensional communication? Alex with either Maria or Natasha would be really cool. I mean all of them are badass lady agents._

“Sit down, Agent Romanoff.” Fury gestured to the chair in front of him and waited for Natasha to perch herself on the edge. She usually knew exactly what was coming every time she was called in to see him, but this time she couldn’t figure it out.

Her partnership with Steve, since Clint had retired to spend time with Laura and the kids after what happened in New York, was going fine. He had a lot to learn, and sometimes he frustrated her with the way he needed to go by the book on everything, but for the most part, she knew they made a good team. And she also knew he was still far from adjusted to the modern world. She didn’t think Fury would be splitting them up just yet, but here she was.

“What’s this about?” she had asked Maria, when Hill had given her the summons.

“Ask him,” Hill had said before walking off, leaving Natasha scowling after her.

But now, she took her seat, hands folded in her lap, and waited for Fury to tell her what was going on.

“I have an assignment for you,” he said.

“I already have an assignment,” she said. She and Steve and the rest of the Strike Team were supposed to leave in two days.

“This is more important,” Fury said.

She thought through her next words, not letting herself give anything away. “I thought handling Captain Rogers was the most important mission,” she said. “Did I do something wrong?”

Fury held her gaze with his one eye. She almost thought for a second that he was on the verge of a smile.

“You’re not off the team, Romanoff. This is just temporary. I have a good friend at the D.E.O. His name’s Hank Henshaw. He needs some help to deal with a crisis they’re having.”

“The D.E.O.?” she repeated. She thought she knew every acronym and every agency there was in the spy world. “I’m not aware of what that is.”

“The Department of Extranormal Operations,” Fury said. He folded his hands on his desk, not taking his eye off her. “They do for National City and their world what we do for our world.”

Natasha let herself blink, the only sign that she was still completely confused by what Nick was telling her.

“National City?” she repeated. “I haven’t heard of it.”

“Most people haven’t.”

“Is it,” she chose her words carefully, “not on this planet?”

“Oh, it’s on this planet.” Fury’s mouth curved into a smile. Natasha felt her mouth go dry. Fury never smiled. Not like that. 

He continued. “It’s in a different multiverse.”

“What?” she said.

“Come with me, Agent Romanoff.” Fury rose to his feet, gesturing at her to do the same. “You’re about to experience something almost no one else ever will.”

•••

Hank Henshaw was a firm but kind man. She could tell from first glance that he had a little bit of the same traits that made Fury such a good leader — ability to command, to not be swayed by emotions — but she sensed he let himself be closer to his employees at the D.E.O. than Fury ever was to SHIELD agents.

He took her arm when she stepped out of the dimensional travel portal, steadying her as her knees wobbled a little and her head spun.

“Sit,” he said, not unkindly, leading her to a chair. “It takes a bit to get used to.”

She looked at him, blinking to try and rid herself of the woozy feeling in her head. “You do this a lot?” she asked.

“More than anyone would think,” he said.

She tried to concentrate. “Director Fury says you need my help.”

“We do,” Hank said. “We have chatter on a new group of enemies. Fury says they started much earlier in your world and that you might have some experience with them.”

“I have experience with a lot of people,” Natasha said.

“The Black Widow program,” Hank said, and Natasha almost fell off her chair.

•••

She was assigned to work with Alex Danvers, a high-ranking D.E.O. agent. 

“My most trusted agent,” Hank told Natasha, before he introduced her to Alex.

“So you’re a Black Widow in your world?” Alex asked after Hank had left them alone.

“Yes,” Natasha said, then clarified. “No. Not anymore. I escaped.”

Alex nodded at her. “Good,” she said. “That will be helpful.”

Natasha asked a question that had been bothering her since Hank had explained to her the mission. “I thought this was the Department of Extranormal Operations. But the Black Widow program — although highly skilled and trained — are just girls.”

Alex was already shaking her head. “Not in this world they aren’t,” she said, and Natasha felt a curl of dread twist in her belly.

•••

The assignment took much longer than Natasha, and Fury, expected it to. The initial week she was supposed to be gone turned into multiple weeks, which turned into months. She and Alex worked together well, tracking operatives and rescuing girls, and finally finding the source of the operations and destroying everything they could get their hands on.

“Burn it to the ground,” Natasha whispered as she watched the warehouse that hid the building that had housed the girls’ training facility — a facility that looked eerily identical to the one she had been raised in — turn to ashes before her eyes.

It was only Alex tugging her arm, pulling her away from the rubble, that caused her to move, only the touch of Alex’s fingers wiping tears off her cheeks that made her realize she had been crying.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered to Alex a few minutes later. She swiped at her eyes, willing them to stay dry. She and Alex were alone in the back of the van, no other operatives, not even their comms on, but she didn’t want anyone to see her like this, especially not someone she had grown to respect and possibly even care for during the weeks they had been working together — but she didn’t want to let herself think about that either.

“Don’t be,” Alex whispered, and then she did something Natasha didn’t expect. She pressed her lips to Natasha’s cheek, first on one side than the other, and then she pressed them by her nose, by her mouth, down her chin, each press of her lips gently kissing away all the tears, leaving behind just the touch of her lips on Natasha’s skin.

And then Alex pressed her lips against Natasha’s, still gentle but also firm. Her hand wrapped through Natasha’s hair, and Natasha went willingly as Alex pushed her backward, laid her down right there on the floor of the van. 

She let Alex kiss her, let Alex slip a hand inside her uniform, warm and steady and comforting.

“It’s over,” Alex whispered to her as she kissed her. “It’s over. It’s going to be okay.”

And this time, the tears that slipped from Natasha’s eyes were because, for the first time, she actually believed it might be.


End file.
